Part 3. Jamie's turn again. Let's do this.
Chapter 11: Things
I'm Tired Of
Shouldn't it be, "Things of Which I'm Tired?"
Brant picks on the exegesis. I pick on the grammar. More to the point of the story: Of what are you tired in your own church? The ELCA? The whole
Church? Yourself?
Chapter 12: No Sin,
No Service
Daniel shares stories of entering new school communities. How do her experiences of exclusion,
awkwardness, and boundary crossing relate to your experiences of entering a new
church community. Tell your own story. How do we make it more obvious that ALL
sinners are welcome in our churches and how do we break down the barriers that
make some (probably many) feel like they may not fit in? Is this even possible?
Chapter 13: The After
Tax Blessing
I occasionally hear someone saying, "You gotta give if
you want to get." In my opinion this is a selfish motive for giving and
not what the practice of tithing is all about. What are the true blessings of giving or tithing? Have you been blessed
by giving?
Chapter 14: Road Trip
Personally, I am convinced that people are becoming more
and more paranoid that anyone they meet could be an axe murderer or some other
such criminal. Do you agree that
paranoia is growing? If it is, should we try to combat it? If we should, how
could/should we go about it? Do you have a story like Daniel's, in which you
trusted a complete stranger?
Daniel tells an anecdotal story about someone who invited
Facebook "friends" to a party and none showed up, which she cites as
an example of friends in real life versus friends on the Internet. Do you think there really is a difference?
How so? This book discussion is taking place on a blog instead of
face-to-face. Would it be
better/deeper/more engaging if we were all together and could actually have
conversation with each other? What if we Skyped or used some other method of
video conferencing?
Chapter 15: The
Special Occasion
Ah yes, the prodigal son and the fatted calf. What fatted calves (read, "special
funds") are our congregations holding onto for a special occasion (usually
an anticipated disaster)? How can we instead use these gifts to celebrate the
radical grace of God and to share that grace "just because?"
As always, further comments and questions are welcome,
encouraged, and appreciated.
This part was the best so far for me, much more meaningful and thought provoking.
ReplyDeleteNo Sin: LOL at the first few paragraphs about the no shirt sign. I have often thought the same things.
I grew up in the church, so I usually don’t have any trouble integrating in a new congregation. I might have more trouble if it was not a Lutheran congregation. When I come to a new congregation, I will seek out the people who are supervising the ministries that I have gifts for, volunteer… and away we go. I am also an extrovert and like the author, moved many times in childhood and had to learn to get integrated in the new school. So I had a lot of practice.
Church buildings are intimidating to unchurched people. I think we should do our evangelism outside the doors and have a visit to a church service as the last thing we invite a person to do. Pastor Jeff Marion (Prince of Peace Lutheran) talked about this at a seminar I attended and it makes perfect sense to me.
The other thing we could do is go directly to the person you know is new in the church and introduce yourself, welcome them, and talk to them.
Two quotes that stood out:
“…in the world, there may be assigned seating, but in the kingdom of heaven there is not.” P. 95
“Church is a school for sinners, not a club for saints.” P.96
Couldn't agree more about evangelism outside the church. Perhaps what we need to do is to abandon our understanding of evangelism as trying to get new members and instead approach it simply as telling the good news.
DeleteOnce again, the author gets me to delve deeper into my Bible. I love the Biblical insight I am achieving that is sparked by her thoughts and comments.
ReplyDelete“Itchy ears” got my attention. I did not know the words were actual words of Paul (II Timothy 4:3). I don’t think they were angry words, but rather guiding and insightful words. Kind of a "heads up" to Timothy. People will hear what they want to hear.
As far as what I’m tired of well, I really miss the presence of children in my congregation and for all congregations for that matter.
Road trip.
ReplyDeleteIt is hard not to be paranoid with the news full of stories of people doing random harm to others. It’s a different world from the days of hitch hikers and running full reign through the neighborhood when I was a child… uh… 40 years ago. My experience with total strangers has been as good Samaritans. I have had complete strangers dig my car out of a snow bank, help change a flat tire, chase me leaving the store to return my wallet, and let me enter their house to make a phone call (in the not so long ago days without cell phones!) I always thanked God for the grace given to me by these people.
This book discussion would definitely be better face to face instead of a blog. We would listen, reply, and use our body language to carry on a conversation. Skyping would be the next best thing. I don’t think we sit still enough without some kind of electronic gadget, radio or TV running. Like Daniel said about her road trip “…we never once turned on the radio.” P.102
Conversing is something I think we need to do more often. Look at Jesus and his parables. People flocked in great numbers to hear them. They probably discussed their meanings on their long walk back home and then told them to their neighbors and families. Before dish washers (now I am really dating myself!) we would wash, dry and put away the dishes. During that time, we would talk, find out about the others person’s day, tell jokes, and discuss the news. We need to make more times like that with one another. What about with strangers?
"What about strangers?" is a profound question. When every time you turn on the tv you encounter several new reasons to mistrust and avoid strangers because they could potentially be harmful it's difficult to cultivate a sense of the need to engage strangers. It simply seems safer not to do so. My question is how do we reclaim a sense of freedom to look past the potential for danger to see the "other" not as a threat but as a child of God? I don't think the problem is that humanity has become more violent or hostile, but that we are simply bombarded (overly so?) by news reports.
Deletee.g. I don't think there is any reason to be more afraid of running through the neighborhood today as there was a few decades ago except that today we hear the details of every instance of violence for hours on end. Human nature hasn't changed, only our perception of it.
I think we do have more acts of violence AND more coverage of it on TV and the internet. Good question: how do we reclaim our freedom and look past the potential for danger and see others as a child of God?
DeleteI have acted as a good Samaritan to strangers who have rode in my car or come into my house, but then they were gone. No relationship made, no in-depth conversing.
Maybe we could start with the "strangers" who we see every day, getting our coffee, co-workers, at the Y or gym. Ask them their name as a start, then ask about their families, their job, their lives. Learn their story.
Special Occasion
ReplyDeleteThis chapter was almost too full of lessons and stories! I think that the parable of the prodigal son can be revisited many times, gaining new truths with each visit. I like the parable for the abundance of dialogue between characters (including the younger brother’s self talk) and less narrative of the story.
This parable always reminds me of my behavior as I go about demanding fairness and rule abiding, overriding the relationships I may be damaging or breaking in the process. That older brother in me holds on to the pride I have in the way I live versus others. I need to be reminded that every human is God’s created child deserving of His grace.
The last 2 paragraphs of this chapter (pg. 115) are my favorites so far in this book!